1. Lady Gaga x Beyonce ‘Telephone’ video? [OnSmash]

2. The Complex celebrity girls power rankings. [Complex]

3. Cam’ron is now sampling viral YouTube videos. [SOTC]

4. The 10 songs that need to be performed on American Idol. [Idolator]

5. New Usher feat. T.I. ‘Guilty’ [2dopeboyz]

Judging from her tweets and the amount of inane, over-excited bullshit that people are talking about on Twitter right now, Lady Gaga is in the country. Maybe it’s just the fact that we’re in such a small country, and in all reality this is a huge pop performance (something which really doesn’t happen that often here, and I’m still not sure if Backstreet Boys counts), but we have a tendency to get really fucking excited about seeing any kind of celebrity in the flesh on our home turf. This usually translates into camping out in airports for hours to catch a glimpse of Tyra fucking Banks and a bunch of models, just to say that you have. Are we ever going to outgrow this?

Anyway, on to the point of all this. Like I said, Lady Gaga is in the country, and on a seemingly never-ending tour in support of The Fame Monster. No wonder she get rarely gives interviews considering that sort of thing must be exhausting. Also, it turns out that she has written a song for Michael Bolton’s new album. The song is called Murder My Heart, in case you were wondering, and judging from this Sound of the City post, it’s the real deal and all. It sort of bodes well for my prediction that Gaga will one day be on Akon-levels of guest appearances and songwriting credits in this here pop music game. Am I right?

The Phoenix Foundation announced recently that they were releasing their new album Buffalo on April 26. What better way to start the day then with a free download of the title track from the album as well as a non-album b-side called Dickheads Abound. You can find it here if you are so inclined and everything else you need to know if on that poster right there. You’re welcome.

I was going to make some harsh joke about how there are a billion other songs to choose from in the world and they had to go and choose this, but then I thought the dude wearing his dad’s suit in the front probably just says it all. Oh Glee, what have you wrought? [via NZ Musician]

At some stage during Flash Derium, a song from MGMT’s upcoming album Congratulations, there’s a flute solo, a whole lot of strange references to 50’s rock n’ roll, some horns, and a whole lot of other weird things that is bound to confuse their young fans. Figure that this album might not be as popular as Oracular Spectacular, but possibly more interesting. Just don’t expect to hear Electric Feel Pt. 2. [via whoismgmt.com]

Brilliant or not, Gucci Mane has built up enough momentum over the past year or so by releasing more material than anyone else in hip-hop. There has been something like six mixtapes and he also managed to do a six-month stint in jail before going straight back in last November for violating his parole. All this, of course, makes The State Vs. Radric Davis all the more interesting. Can you follow-up an array of mostly solid mixtapes with a major label album release?

In short, yes. Despite the fact that The State Vs. Radric Davis never actually sold as much as everyone would have hoped, it’s by no means a disappointment. Of course, if you don’t pay attention to his monotone muttering then you’ll probably miss the brilliance. In Heavy you won’t find any real standout lines but the ideas he squeezes into the chorus still work – here’s it’s all about how his ego, Gucci bag full of cash and of course his chain, is too heavy for him.

There are a couple of immediate highlights early on in the album. There’s Bangladesh’s nursery-rhyme sounding Lemonade, with it’s obnoxious yet catchy piano sample and children’s chorus singalong, which has almost become the new track of choice for every other rapper to have a go at. Stupid Wild is another one of Bangladesh’s perfect productions, while Scott Stoch’s Bingo makes Soulja Boy Tell Em and Waka Flocka Flame seem almost admirable.

The biggest problem here is the few ‘girl’ songs which linger in the middle. I still sort of like Spotlight with Usher for some reason, even though it’s not the best moment for either artist by far, but the next few songs wear out their welcome quickly and ultimately weaken the album. I Think I’m In Love featuring Jason Caesar sounds like the obligatory hip-hop song featuring a R&B artist but then it’s followed up with two more, neither or which are all that memorable (apart from a nice guest appearance from Nicki Minaj on the interestingly-titled Sex In Crazy Places).

Later on in the album there’s Gingerbread Man and Worst Enemy, both of which help to round out the album nicely. Plies also makes a quick appearance in Wasted and squeezes in one of the best nonsense lines in the song with “I don’t wear tight jeans like the white boys but I do get wasted like the white boys.” Overall, The State Vs. Radric Davis isn’t necessarily a perfect release but the highlights easily outweigh anything else that’s bad about it. Especially those R&B songs!

Riddle me this – is it just a coincidence that T.I.’s new song, I’m Back (which you can download below), came out on the same day that Lil’ Wayne went to jail? Also, T.I. still hasn’t been released from the halfway house where he’s staying but I assume that like the goons in The Wire that get to use their cellphones and eat McDonald’s and shit, Tip was prolly allowed his iPod in the cell. Rumours say that his ‘comeback’ album will be dropping in August. Get out the way. [Download via 2dopeboyz]

Okay, let’s just take a quick moment to clear something up. Despite some reports that would tell you differently, the new video for J. Williams’ and Scribe’s You Got Me, is not the first video shot in 3D in New Zealand. So let’s go right ahead and disregard this story by the Sony Corporation and it’s quotes like “We believe that 3D filming is the way of the future, and Sony is right at the leading edge of this technology.” So, who had the first 3D video in New Zealand? Charlie Ash, who also sent out a press release about it and debuted the damn thing on C4 two long years ago. Can we all get off James Cameron’s dick and move on with our lives?

The great thing about a song like this is how it has so much relevancy to New Zealand. You can tell that this song was made in New Zealand just by listening to the lyrics, and that’s not always a bad thing. At least not here anyway. There’s talk of the DPB, getting paid by WINZ, and dodging the bullet when your dole officer tries to make you look for a job. Then it’s all juxtaposed right next to these loopy stories about doing all this stupid shit so they can just keep doing what they’re doing. Like they say “this is just how it is when you’re broke.” I guess sometimes good things come out of not having much money. [Download it here]

I’m always a little weary of musicians that are hot, so I’ve ignored Marina and the Diamonds (aka Marina Diamandis) for as long as I could. But Jesus, how unattractive is her voice? To be completely honest, I’m still not convinced on her songs either – Hollywood (which is above) sounds like it’s starving for attention, especially that “Oh my god you look like Shakira, no no no Catherine Zeta. Acutually my names Marina” line, and it’s perhaps a little too tongue in cheek. Also, that I’m Not A Robot song is just annoying. I’m guessing Florence won’t be moving out the way anytime soon.